Later that evening…
Aimee watched Vasil tap his glass. He stood at the head of the large formal dining room table. Conversation halted, and every face in the room turned toward him. Tressa was dressed very elegantly and beamed with pride as she observed her family.
Leo sat with one arm lying across the back of his wife’s chair and his other holding her hand. He looked at her with so much adoration. Aimee felt any lingering remnants of doubt about Leo and Gemma’s relationship slip away. He might have been a jerk when he first arrived in the States, but Gemma’s influence had mellowed him.
And Gemma. Gemma was beauty personified tonight. At Leo’s insistence, she’d spent the day resting while various family members and household staff had taken turns amusing Damien.
Kassi and Aimee had been gone for most of the afternoon. Although Kassi smiled and joked with her adopted family, Aimee sensed there was something on her mind. She’d hoped to quiz her about it, but the busy docks weren’t exactly the place for a heart to heart.
And Alexi... Aimee resolutely kept her eyes away from him, but every time he moved, she was aware of it. He sat next to her, his sheer proximity electrifying. His movements had so much power, that even when he leaned back in his chair, she felt an urge to do the same. Sitting next to him was torture.
Aimee stiffened as she felt Alexi’s breath on her neck. He’d leaned in close to whisper. “Did you get some good pictures today?”
Aimee gave him a sideways look. “Yes. I need to talk to you later.”
Alexi’s mouth turned up. “I was thinking the same thing.”
Aimee blushed and then shook her head. “No, I just want to talk. We shouldn’t…that shouldn’t happen again.”
Alexi touched the back of her hand lying in her lap, keeping his action hidden from the others in the room. “Is that why you’ve been avoiding me? You didn’t enjoy yourself the other night?”
Aimee glanced around the table, making sure no one else could hear their conversation. “No, I just don’t think…”
“What are you two whispering about over there?” Gemma asked with a twinkle in her eyes.
Alexi sat back in his own seat and Aimee forced a laugh. “Nothing important. Have you heard from Tyler yet?”
Gemma smiled. “He called right before we came downstairs. He’s thrilled about the baby. He’s also decided that he wants to continue his graduate work over here so he can study Greek at the same time. This term ends in a few weeks and then he’s going to pack up his stuff, do the same with mine, and move to Greece.”
Great. I’m going to be even more alone! Aimee tried to smile, seeing how happy Gemma was knowing her brother would be close at hand once again. I’m a bad friend. Why can’t I be happy for her? Sure, she didn’t always like the way Tyler acted towards his sister, or the fact that he was just like all of the other young men she knew. Ready to take a free ride, no matter how hard others had to work to provide it. To his credit, he had grown up a lot since Gemma had moved to Greece. Aimee credited that solely to Leo.
“Aimee?” A frown formed on Gemma’s face.
Aimee shook herself back to the present conversation. “That’s great news. Tyler is going to love living over here.” Don’t mind me, I’ll just go back to the States, find another dead-end job, and maybe in another year or two I’ll have saved up enough money to come back.
“What’s placing that frown between your eyes?” Alexi leaned close to her once more.
Aimee swallowed. “Nothing. I think maybe I had too much sun today, I’m getting a headache.” She had a strong desire to be away from this family celebration as it didn’t really include her. I’m not a part of the Moustakas family, and I never will be. I’m just visiting. I need to remember that.
“Gemma. Leo. I’m really happy for you both, but I think I’m going to go up and lie down. I’m really not feeling all that well.”
“What? Oh no! Aimee, what can I do? Do you need the doctor to come back?” Gemma asked, concern in her voice.
“No, I don’t need the doctor. I think I’ll just call it an early night.”
“While I wish you would stay and celebrate with us, I also want you to take care of yourself. Are you sure you don’t need the doctor?”
Aimee firmed her resolve. “You don’t need me to celebrate and my head is really starting to pound. I’ll take some medication and see you in the morning.”
She pushed herself to a standing position, avoiding Alexi’s look. “Mr. and Mrs. Moustakas, congratulations on becoming grandparents again. Gemma’s a great mother.”
Tressa smiled at her. “Thank you, my dear. We agree. Can I have someone bring you anything?”
“No, I don’t really have the stomach for food when a headache comes along.”
“Well, if that should change during the night, just use your bedside phone and the kitchen staff will be happy to bring you whatever you’d like.” Tressa gave her a motherly look.
Aimee smiled tightly and then left the room. The kitchen staff will be happy to bring me whatever I’d like. Even at three o’clock in the morning. Another benefit of being extremely rich I hadn’t considered. Gemma is so lucky!
She changed out of her dinner attire and then tried to rest, feeling only slightly guilty for having feigned a headache. In truth, her heart hurt, not her head. After twenty minutes of lying on her bed, trying to turn her brain off, she grabbed her camera and slipped out the patio doors. As she and Kassi had arrived back at the estate earlier today, she’d had an urge to take some pictures of the estate itself. Now that it was clear she would be leaving sooner rather than later, she wanted some pictures for her own memories.
The moon was still high in the sky, and the gardens were expertly lit up with hidden lights that beamed yellow light up from the ground. She wandered around the side of the house, walking through the grass as she tried to get the entire structure into one frame. She didn’t realize she was almost at the security gates until she heard a voice call her.
“Hey! Do you work inside?”
Aimee turned around at the sound of English being spoken. She stood a few feet away from the guard shack. The guard was absent, presumably doing a perimeter check. The man who had spoken to her was on the other side of the gate, a news media logo on his shirt. “Were you talking to me?”
The man glanced around and then nodded. “James Tribett. Do you work inside?”
“No, I just came over for the wedding.”
“Ah. You’re a photographer?” He indicated the camera in her hands.
“I’m trying to be,” Aimee told him. The guard was coming back towards her but had yet to see her talking to the reporter. “Why are you guys hanging around out here day and night? What do you hope to gain from it?”
“News. Pictures. Everyone knows Leo got married to an American, but so far they haven’t given any interviews and no one has been able to get any pictures of them together.”
Aimee blinked. “No one?”
“No one. It’s a race right now to see who comes up with something printable first.”
“And what does one win if they succeed?” Aimee asked, knowing her time to talk to this man was short-lived. The guard had spied her and was quickening his pace.
James gave her an interested look. “Why do you ask?”
“Just wondering what a picture is worth these days.”
“Ten grand.”
Aimee was shocked. “Ten thousand dollars for one picture?”
“To start with, maybe more if the picture was really good.”
Ten thousand dollars... I could pay for school and new equipment. Just for a picture of Leo and Gemma together in their wedding attire. I have lots of those pictures and selling one to this guy… Well, it isn’t like it would actually hurt Leo and Gemma. I could even get their permission first.
“Miss Myers, is there a problem?” The guard approached, spying the reporter standing on the other side of the gate.
“No, I was just trying to get the entire house in a picture.”
“And that man standing behind you? Was he bothering you?” the guard asked sternly.
“No, he was just making small talk. It was refreshing to talk to someone who speaks English.”
“Well, you really shouldn’t have anything to do with them. Can I offer you an escort back up to the house?”
“No, I’m just going to wander around for a bit. Thank you for the offer, though.”
The guard looked uncertain, but when she made no move to leave her current position, he gave the reporter a stern look. “Leave her alone.” He moved over to the guard shack, but remained outside, keeping an eye on Aimee and the reporter.
“I’m going to head to my right.” Aimee spoke quietly, pretending to raise her camera and take aim at the house. “There’s another gate a hundred yards away. Meet me there.” She lowered her camera and then waved at the guard. “Goodnight.”
The guard seemed relieved. “Goodnight, Miss Myers.”
Aimee sauntered away, keeping her pace slow and steady as she walked away from the guard. She reached the maintenance gate ten minutes later and was pleased to see the reporter standing on the other side. She got right to the point. “What kind of money would your newspaper pay me for a picture of the happy couple?”
James’ teeth shone white in the moonlight. “Ten large ones. You have such a picture?”
“I took lots of pictures the day of the wedding. I’ll sell one of them to you if you promise me the story that accompanies it isn’t sleazy or derogatory in anyway. Gemma is my friend and she doesn’t deserve that.”
The reporter agreed. “I’ll make sure the picture just runs with a caption declaring how happy the newlyweds are.”
“Okay, you have a deal. Where should I send the picture and when do I get paid?”
“Mercenary. I like it.” James grinned. “I’ll have a check made out to you tomorrow. You bring me the picture on a flash drive, no emails. Once I confirm the picture is there, you get the check. Easy as pie.”
“Frankly, I’ve never made a pie but I don’t imagine it would be easy.”
“Whatever. When do you want to meet?”
“Tomorrow morning? Around ten o’clock. We can meet right here so the guard doesn’t get suspicious. The Moustakas don’t like reporters very much.”
James laughed derisively. “No one likes us. That’s the idea.”
Aimee didn’t understand that, but this man was going to give her enough money to stay in Greece for the next little while. She wouldn’t let Alexi or Gemma and Leo pay for her tuition or buy her camera equipment, but she would stay with them. At least in the short term.
She headed back inside the house, her steps lighter and a soft smile upon her face. I don’t have to go back to the States!